Why is Autumn the Best time of the Year for Trekking in Nepal?
Nepal’s trekking trails offer everything – from scorching sunrays to freezing cold nights, crowded trekking trails to ghost towns, and from incessant monsoon rain to sweet summer breeze. There are so many different trekking trails in Nepal that you will have plenty of options throughout the year. Although, autumn is the second peak season in Nepal after spring, it witnesses the highest number of footprints. In this blog, we will further explain why autumn is the best time of the year for trekking in Nepal.
The weather is perfect.
Autumn in Nepal lasts from mid-September to November. It starts right after the end of monsoon in Hills, thus the days are neither too hot nor cold. Everything in sight turns a bright, orange color. And with no clouds in sight, the days become livelier and more vibrant. The trekking trails are neither too wet or slippery, making it easier to trek. Moreover, the weather is neither too scorching nor too freezing. Thus, the weather in autumn is just perfect for trekking. However, the days are a bit shorter than those of spring, meaning you will have lesser daylight comparatively.
Witnessing Nepalese festivals.
Many of Nepal’s significant festivals fall during autumn. In Nepal, an agricultural country, autumn is the time for merrymaking as people finish all of the agricultural work during monsoon. Dashain and Tihar, the biggest festivals of Nepalese Hindus, fall during autumn. Similarly, ancient Buddhist festivals of the mountainous region, like Mani Rimdu and Saga Dawa, also fall during autumn season.
These aforementioned festivals are characterized by ritualistic dances, lavish pujas, ancient ceremonies, and a lot of travelling. Moreover, people are in the happiest of moods, lifting the aura of the vicinity by several folds. In this way, festivals enrich your trekking journey and lead to an unforgettable experience. Moreover, you get to experience all of these festivals firsthand, and gain a new perspective bdjjwe about the religious and cultural elements of Hinduism and Buddhism in Nepal.
Everest Gokyo Valley Trek
The choice is endless.
While there are only few choices for winter and monsoon treks, there are absolutely no restrictions concerning choice of destination for an autumn trek. From high pass trek that goes higher than 5,500meters to isolated places that get shut with snow in winter, you can go anywhere in autumn. Also, since it is the peak time of the year, you don’t have to worry about the tea houses and services being shut down in remote and lesser trekked area. For instance, you can trek to the Kanchenjunga Base Camp, which can only be trekked with an organized trekking group. Similarly, you can also go to Dolpa region, which gets shut by snow as soon as the winter arrives.
Excellent visibility in mountains.
Autumn here comes right after the incessant monsoon. It means that the large, ominous clouds start exhausting and dissipating, paving way for bright blue skies. Normally, in the mountains, clouds roll over quickly to obscure the view of the Himalayans. It means that you can only have perfect glimpses of mountains for a very short time – early in the morning. However, with clouds vanishing under autumn sky, the visibility is excellent and at maximum. You can view the mountains from very far, even before you reaching halfway of the trekking trail. Also, once you reach higher elevation, you don’t have to worry much about the mountains disappearing under large fluffs of clouds. You can relish in the Himalayan view as much as you want and also translate these beauties in photographs stunningly.
Interacting with fellow trekkers.
During autumn, the main trekking trails of the mountainous region are packed with trekkers from all across the world. While this news may not seem pleasant for someone looking for solitude and seclusion during trek, for others, it is a great opportunity to interact and mingle with like-minded mountain lovers. You can chat around and discuss over a cup of tea with the fellow trekkers who might be going to either same destination or a different one, the ever-hardworking Sherpas, and the warm and hospitable lodge owners. You will never know what you’ll learn.
